Eden Prairie, MN (November 19, 2015) – The Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA) announced today the addition of a "Legacy Ship" to Medtronic Plaza at U.S. Bank Stadium. Designed by RipBang Studios, a division of Minneapolis-based NELSON, and funded privately by the Vikings, the feature will transform the typical stadium marquee video board into a sculptural landmark that will serve as the anchor to Medtronic Plaza.

Inspired by legendary Viking ships and designed to honor local ancestry, the Legacy Ship will incorporate contemporary metals, stone, concrete and wood and will include landscaping, theatrical lighting, sounds and smoke effects. A 2,000 square-foot curved LED video board standing 55 feet tall will serve as the ship's sail, while the ship's figurehead, an abstract dragon with Norse iconography, will top out at 43 feet high and will interact with events inside the stadium. The Legacy Ship will include seating and stainless steel railings, along with 150 linear feet of displays, including a timeline exhibit featuring historical Minnesota moments and site directories to aid in wayfinding. Making the ship even more unique will be the incorporation of thousands of fan commemorative "Legacy Bricks" that will occupy approximately 3,500 square feet of the ship's deck.

"The Viking ship located outside the team's Winter Park training facility has always been a favorite stop for visiting Vikings fans," said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf. "We wanted to recreate the feature in a significantly enhanced way at U.S. Bank Stadium in order to give Vikings fans a new game day ritual and a perfect welcome to their unprecedented game experience."

"The addition of the Legacy Ship will be a distinct monument outside U.S. Bank Stadium," said MSFA Chair Michele Kelm-Helgen. "Similar to several other design features, this landmark will be unlike anything we've previously seen with stadiums around the country."

Unveiled earlier this year, the Legacy Brick program offers fans the opportunity to purchase one of the following three paver styles:

• 8"x8" Logo Paver - $360 (includes Vikings Norseman logo and up to four lines of text)

• 8"x8" Paver - $295 (includes up to six lines of text)

• 4"x8" Paver - $160 (includes up to three lines of text)

Along with the personally-engraved brick located on the plaza, fans will receive a complimentary replica and an official certificate of ownership. Additional replicas, as well as custom-engraved display cases, are also available for purchase. Upon installation as part of the Legacy Ship, brick owners will receive a locator map to easily find their pavers when visiting U.S. Bank Stadium. 

The Legacy Bricks program is officially provided by the MSFA, with net proceeds helping enhance the stadium's three-acre public plaza. Minnesota-based Cold Spring Granite Company will be crafting the pavers from stone quarried in Minnesota, while sales and service support for the program will be provided by Fund Raisers Ltd., a leader in the engraving industry that has fulfilled similar campaigns for multiple teams in both professional and college sports.

Fans can visit www.vikings.com/bricks or call 844-MN-BRICK (844-662-7425) to purchase a personalized brick or learn more about the program.